1 T here is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it great on man:

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun and it is prevalent among men—

2 A man to whom God giveth wealth, and riches, and honour, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desireth, and God giveth him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eateth it; this vanity, and it an evil disease.

a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction.

3 I f a man doth beget a hundred, and live many years, and is great, because they are the days of his years, and his soul is not satisfied from the goodness, and also he hath not had a grave, I have said, `Better than he the untimely birth.'

If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many they be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper burial, then I say, “Better the miscarriage than he,

4 F or in vanity he came in, and in darkness he goeth, and in darkness his name is covered,

for it comes in futility and goes into obscurity; and its name is covered in obscurity.

5 E ven the sun he hath not seen nor known, more rest hath this than that.

It never sees the sun and it never knows anything; it is better off than he.

6 A nd though he had lived a thousand years twice over, yet good he hath not seen; to the same place doth not every one go?

Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not enjoy good things— do not all go to one place?”

7 A ll the labour of man for his mouth, and yet the soul is not filled.

All a man’s labor is for his mouth and yet the appetite is not satisfied.

8 F or what advantage to the wise above the fool? What to the poor who knoweth to walk before the living?

For what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have, knowing how to walk before the living?

9 B etter the sight of the eyes than the going of the soul. This also vanity and vexation of spirit.

What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind.

10 W hat that which hath been? already is its name called, and it is known that it man, and he is not able to contend with him who is stronger than he.

Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is.

11 F or there are many things multiplying vanity; what advantage to man?

For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man?

12 F or who knoweth what good for a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he maketh them as a shadow? for who declareth to man what is after him under the sun?

For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?